


Providentia

by Dragonwhisky



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997), Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)
Genre: F/M, Flirting, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Romance, Turks (Compilation of FFVII)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-17
Updated: 2020-08-10
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:14:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 17,779
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24768319
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dragonwhisky/pseuds/Dragonwhisky
Summary: Being under the watchful eyes of The Turks is the everlasting way of life for Siena Mayshield; the Oracle of Shinra. Finally being allotted a shelter outside of Shinra HQ, she looks to migrate into common Midgar society. Though her isolated past is what most deters her, she'll come to realize the aspect of time she's so well acquainted with poses an even greater threat. As the future hurdles towards a course unbeknownst to even Siena herself, she and her principal Turk Reno find their routine of "protect and be protected" disrupted.
Relationships: Reno (Compilation of FFVII)/Original Character(s), Reno (Compilation of FFVII)/Original Female Character(s), Reno (Compilation of FFVII)/Reader
Comments: 12
Kudos: 43





	1. || Beneath the Mako-congested sky ||

**Author's Note:**

> I'm really happy to announce that my first fan fiction to be published will be a Reno one! The remake did him SO much justice and it reignited the Reno simp I was years ago. I thought this up while listening to Midnight Rendezvous (def a favorite of mine from the soundtrack) and a series came out of it! This has stayed in my drafts for a while but now I've mustered up the courage to share it with you all!

The sun had long departed, allotting the moon power over the sky. It’s rays basked the ever-growing Midgar in a milky moonlight, though it’s full power was congested due to the Mako smog polluting the air. The nightly routine of lazing in whatever moonlight pierced through the fractured Sector 6 plate was the only true period of relaxation for Siena. 

Her cabin was situated in the depths of Sector 6, secluded behind large metal debris engulfed in overgrown greenery. The soft splashes of water coming from a small pond near her home accompanied the rustles of leaves and songs of the creatures who emerge in nighttime. Though this part of Midgar held painful memories of the Sector 6 construction accident, Siena found an unrivaled peace in it’s ruins. Leaning back on the chair placed out on her porch, the commotion sweeping throughout the world became unbeknownst to the woman. Tonight, however, it would take a little more effort to ease up. 

She had been on lock down in her cabin for the last four days due to an approaching threat to her safety. The one’s making the decision to enclose her had decided to act on the reports, as they had come from a credible source. 

That credible source being Siena herself. 

Siena Mayshield, the oracle of Shinra. The woman comes from a special bloodline, one that holds a rare history of birthing children gifted with what they called “Providentia.” The blessed held the power to receive incredibly accurate premonitions; this power being the reason for attracting unwanted attention. The recent Mayshield generations didn’t feel the need to worry about such issues though, as a child hadn’t been born with the power within the last two decades. They believed that the blemish staining their family name had left once and for all. That all changed a couple years after Siena was born, thus spurring another race to conceal the family secret. All was for naught though; such a profitable tool couldn’t possibly hope to avoid the ravenous eyes of Shinra, the giant of Midgar.

It was almost poetic how the awakening of her power depicted the day she’d be taken away to her new life. Holding visions of the future corrupted her memory, but the feeling of her tears trailing down her cheeks that day remained fresh. The desperate grasp her parents had on her arm still bruised and the final recollection of their faces were blurry through tear-soaked eyes. She knew of the coming inevitable tragedy, but even with all the time in the world, a child could never prepare for such trauma.

The future made its plans for Siena crystal clear. And it would continue to do that, whether the visions she saw were favored or not.

From that day on Siena had been 'employed' to provide wise and insightful counsel to Shinra. Though her supernatural capabilities paled in comparison with The Ancients, the original stewards of the planet, her role in the company was still regarded highly. Her prophecy’s and advising have and will continue to play major roles in Shinra’s development. Siena was now a profitable tool to the company; one that they would summon whenever they pleased. 

The security measures now in effect on Siena weren’t gestures of kindness out of genuine worry for her safety. Just as they would the multiple Mako reactors encircling Midgar, Shinra was merely protecting a power-inflating investment. Chills ran down Siena’s spine at the thought of being compared to those planet-killing machines. 

Even so, she accepted the fact that her situation could’ve been a lot worse. At least she wasn’t being scrutinized under the maniacal stare of Professor Hojo. Siena recalled her first experiences with Shinra years ago, when they were more than happy to allot Hojo the power to tear at her skin for samples. The thing that stopped them from following through with that plan was Siena's precognition, warning them that if any abuse befell her, Shinra would face major downfalls in the coming weeks. Having already seen the remarkably accurate prophecy's of the Mayshield’s, Shinra decided to play it safe, even if it frustrated their director of research.

A small frown formed upon Siena’s lips as her thoughts drifted to the one living that nightmare--a young woman named Aerith, the last living Ancient. Aerith lives in the heart of the Sector 5 slums and from the times Siena had interacted with her, she was an upbeat and lively girl. She’d prance around without a care in the world, tending to her flowers and capturing the hearts of those who came in contact with her. Siena however knew of the chains entrapping Aerith. Unlike Siena, Aerith had no means to defend herself from the relentless claws of Shinra. She’d have to put up with the callous treatment and sparse amount of freedom given to her.

Siena let out a small sigh. She often felt infuriated, scolding herself for helping the corrupt power that the Shinra Electric Power Company was. She felt pity towards an innocent girl, all the while reinforcing the strings that tangled around Aerith.

The only thing stopping her from stepping in to take initiative was the voice of the oracle within her.

_“This is the course of action that must be taken”_ she’d often hear within her head. _“Dictate that which has been pronounced.”_  
Siena crossed her arms over her chest, finally dragging her eyes away from the Mako tinted sky.

“That which has been pronounced” she repeated aloud, her voice hanging heavy in the night air.

Siena let out a sigh, deciding it best not to trouble herself more with such negative thoughts. She stood up from her chair, raising her hands up to stretch her fatigued body. The crickets continued chirping their ballad of night, unable to care less about the Oracle in their presence. 

Siena smiled, thinking to herself _“Finally, company who doesn’t beg for a palm reading.”_  
She placed her hands on her hips, eyes lingering until they landed on the dirt trail leading away from her cabin. She stood still for a moment, debating on whether what she was planning was worth the risk or not. Taking a quick glance of the vicinity, she picked up the blanket that laid on her chair and draped it over her shoulders. 

Siena lowered herself to face the crickets, bringing a hand up to her mouth. 

“Just a short one wouldn’t hurt, right?” she asked in a hushed tone. Content with their nonexistent response, she stood up, taking only a couple steps towards her destination before--

“And where do you think you’re going?” a playful voice called out. 

Siena froze, slowly turning around to see the owner of the voice step out from the shadows. She didn’t have to see the person to know who the exuberant voice belonged to. 

“Reno...” his name spilled effortlessly from her mouth, leaving a saccharine taste on her tongue. “Didn’t realize you’d be back so soon.”

The Turk stopped only a few feet away from Siena, his eyes raking her body for any injuries before sending a quick wink. 

“Surprise~” Reno waved at Siena with a glove-clad hand, the left one resting a sleek Shinra security baton atop his shoulder

His usual sardonic grin graced his lips; the same playful flame was as evident in his cyanic eyes. Reno’s black and white suit screamed elegance up until the unbuttoned half, exposing a fair amount of his chest. Rambunctious strands of red hair splayed from his head, hanging over a pair of black flight goggles resting atop his forehead. His hair was pulled into a ponytail, running down his back at a waist-length and the matching red marks on his cheekbones accentuated the Turks rowdy persona. 

“Is your patrol finished already?” Siena inquired, internally praying he wouldn’t make her attempt at acting unchaperoned into a whole ordeal. 

Reno furrowed his brows and waved his hand dismissively, vexed at the mere thought of continuing his patrol.

“Partner’s got it covered. After hours of no activity we agreed that no one was planning shit, so I came to check on ya” he replied. He stood still for a moment before his face flashed in feigned realization. 

“Oh! Though you should’ve known that already, right miss oracle?” he snickered, grinning at Siena. She crossed her arms over her chest, letting out a huff of annoyance.

“Haha” she rolled her eyes at his teasing comment. “I’m not calculating the future 24/7, Reno. You of all people should know this! ...I really hope your just acting like an idiot, or else i’ll be in real trouble”

Her response invoked a short chuckle from Reno. He raised his hands in defense, downgrading his smirk into a neutral smile. 

“Guess i’m just overestimating ya. Now then, back to whatever you were mumbling to yourself about. Where were you headed?” He asked, pointing with his baton at the chair she had previously been sitting in. 

Siena wearily smiled, realizing he wasn’t going to let her go without an explanation. He was a nosy one with Siena, not letting even the most minor of details slip by without some closure. She let out a defeated breath, pointing at the trail over her shoulder.

“I was planning on going for a walk” she admitted. “I know I should’ve consulted you or Rude but I didn’t want to distract you two..."

Reno raised an eyebrow, more puzzled at the suggestion rather than her actual defiance to Shinra’s orders. “This late at night?”

Siena nodded, just now coming to the realization that it was much deeper in the night than she’d thought. Had she really been lounging around long enough to lose track of time? Seeing as Reno was checking in for the night, she supposed he was expecting to return to a Siena snoozing away in her room. She frowned, rubbing her upper arm; a nervous habit of hers.

“This whole situation has me feeling angsty...I couldn’t sleep and just sitting out here wasn’t going to help either” She looked down at the chair with disparage, as if blaming it for not fulfilling its purpose.

“So ya planned on waltzing away to clear your mind. You do realize me and Rude are here for a reason, right?” he huffed, motioning to himself with his hand. Siena gave him a thin smile, closing her eyes as she shook her head. She’d missed the way Reno’s expression slightly softened at her crestfallen expression.

“Yeah, I guess it was really reckless of me to try that. Sorry...” she mumbled, reaching up to pull off the blanket still draped over her shoulders. She paused though, her somber expression lightening up as another thought came to mind. 

A hopeful smile grew on her face as she looked up at Reno, her eyes gleaming with restored joy. “Well now that you _are_ here, there shouldn’t be an issue if you accompanied me, right?” 

Reno smirked, his face beaming with curiosity and anticipation. “Oh? Are you asking me out on a date, Siena?” He cooed, playfully narrowing his eyes at Siena. She softly chuckled, scrunching her nose in disgust at the suggestion.

“Oh please, I’m asking you to do your job. Come on!” without waiting for the Turks reaction she turned on her heel. 

Siena led the way as the two descended the trail, her cabin disappearing within moments behind the shrubbery. They followed the trail for a while before Siena led the Turk off-course. Reno was skeptical at first, but with a couple of tugs and reassurance from Siena that it was safe, the two were off. 

Overgrown brush surrounded the pair, forming a natural tunnel. The conveniently cut greenery that they maneuvered through were indications that Siena frequented the passageway. Reno made sure to make a mental note of the route, as to keep tabs on the places the oracle was known to loiter in. It was his natural responsibility as one of Siena’s assigned Turks. 

“Hey Siena, stop for a moment,” Reno instructed. Siena paused, turning to see Reno pull out his PHS. She strolled up to him, slightly leaning forward in curiosity. 

“Are you contacting Rude?” She asked. Reno nodded as his thumbs typed whatever message he was sending to the other Turk.

“Gotta let the partner know beforehand. Wouldn’t wanna freak him or the boss out” he replied, pushing the send button. He placed the phone back in his pocket, flashing a cheeky smile at the inquisitive woman. 

“Don’t forget we’re on the clock here” he chided, motioning with a nudge of his head to lead on. Siena nodded, continuing towards her predetermined destination. Her mind drifted to the Turks Reno had mentioned.

Since the time Shinra claimed Siena as their oracle, she’d been placed under supervision of The Turks--A special Shinra task force. These skilled agents were often designated atypical assignments, from espionage, scouting for SOLDIER recruits, and assassination; all countless deeds best performed out of the public eye.

Ironically, they were the only Shinra employee’s Siena actually felt comfortable around. Having spent years under their watchful eye, she’d formed a healthy enough friendship with the agents. Tsung, the cool-headed leader of the Turks, was an interesting man to talk to. The two could comfortably converse about company business and on rare occasions, personal matters drifted into the talk. Elena, the youngest member of the group, was easiest to talk to. The young Turk often vented to Siena about her work and the crazy antics of her red-headed superior. Their talks often ended with Elena frantically apologizing for bombarding Siena with her drama, invoking a sympathetic smile from the oracle. Rude, the most intimidating (and sounding) man was the most difficult to interact with. He wasn’t a bad guy by any means, he just didn’t seem fond of unnecessary dialogue. The few words the two did exchange were short-lived as he’d promptly return to his stoic attitude.

And then there was Reno, the most lively and cynical Turk of all. Despite his seemingly immature attitude toward his job, Reno was ranked second-in command, just behind Tsung. Siena knew of his impressive fighting capabilities, having seen them first hand when a wild street gang had picked at her. He prided in being the fastest around, beating down his enemies in a flash. Ironically, he was the exact opposite of his long-time partner, Rude. The pair were the one’s primarily assigned to Siena, so she had already understood how well the opposing dynamics actually worked together. 

Siena’s long time bond with Reno had grown immensely, him being the only Shinra employee she looked forward to seeing. Countless years had passed though, and now she couldn’t deny the foreign sparks of emotion that would swirl within her chest at the thought of him. 

“Are we just wandering or do you have a particular place in mind?” Reno asked, breaking Siena from her thoughts. She spared the Turk a glance before humming thoughtfully, hoping the unfamiliar heat rising to her cheeks would cease. 

“Well I was originally planning on wandering, but now that you're here, I thought I'd show you something” she replied. 

Reno let out an exaggerated gasp. “A surprise? Just for me? Aw, Siena! You’re making me blush here” he fanned himself with his hand. Siena felt a tinge of panic rise, hoping that his statement wasn’t a reference to her reaction only seconds ago. 

“I-I just thought i’d repay you for your service” Siena stammered, her tone earning a raised eyebrow from the red-head. She internally scolded herself, fiddling with the blanket over her shoulders in hopes of a distraction. 

“You’ve been assigned to me for how many years now?” she suddenly asked, attempting to divert her’s and Reno’s focus. 

Reno shrugged, giving the vicinity a quick look over for hostiles. “More years than I'd like” he quipped, snickering as Siena elbowed his side.

“I could say the same to you! I don’t think anyone’s gotten on my nerves more times than you” she retorted, waving her fist at him. “And that’s bad considering I have to constantly deal with all the moody directors!” 

Reno placed his hand over his chest, a prideful smirk spread on his lips. “I’m so honored to have that special place in your heart, miss oracle” he swooned. 

Siena let out a groan upon hearing the nickname, quickening her pace into a jog as she ignored the protests from the Turk.


	2. || A Disrupted Tranquility ||

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here comes part 2! I originally planned on releasing this one earlier but I got caught up in my classes (they really do be draining my energy). I've started part 3 so i'm hoping to send that one out quicker than this one. Hope you all enjoy and look forward to the rest!

The night only seemed to grow longer as Siena led Reno further down the path, her long jet-black hair swaying in time with her strides. The two had been in a period of silence long enough to pique Reno’s nerves--he was a talkative one after all. Desperate to fill the air with some kind of sound, he opted to hum a tune. In only a matter of seconds, it evolved into a much more _vocal_ performance.

_“What you see...is what you get~”_ The melodic voice of Reno is the only sound accompanying the nighttime ambiance as the Turk and his client walk besides each other. 

Siena had paid the humming no mind, but with the full-blown performance Reno was now offering, there was no way she could pay the accursed song no mind. 

Siena shook her head, covering her ears with her hands. 

“Would you _please_ stop singing that song Reno?” She groaned, finding herself content with the immediate silence that followed her acknowledgment. “I’d finally gotten away from listening to that song in the main hall and you have the audacity to bring it back…”

Reno glanced at Siena, his lips pursed at her abhorred comment. 

“It’s a nice song!” he retorted, defying her plea by proceeding to hum the tune.

Siena’s frown grew at the redheads unwillingness to comply with her simple request. She crossed her arms over her chest as further memories relating to the song popped up in her head.

“It’s a reminder of Scarlet” she grumbled, feeling a trail of shivers run down her spine as soon as the name slipped from her mouth.

Reno opened his mouth, though was quick to shut it at the mention of the sadistic director. He rubbed the back of his neck, letting out a grunt of agreement.

“You got a point. I don’t think I’ve—no, actually the entirety of the Turks, have warmed up to that hag” he grumbled. Siena let out a sigh, feeling somewhat relieved to know she wasn’t the only one openly unnerved by the director. 

“So even you all can’t stand that woman...” she continued, her gaze shifting downwards to her feet.

“Let’s just say the Turks have some unfinished beef with her. Long story, don’t wanna tell it” he replied, his eyebrows furrowed at whatever recollections were resurfacing within his head. He nudged Siena with his elbow.

“Anyways, you’re certainly a favorite of hers” he said mockingly. 

Siena let out a long sigh. “Yeah. She’s the one who most _uses me_. Always calling me to determine the results of any crazy weapons tests she plans on running” 

“I’d imagine Hojo would be the one to do that” Reno replied, certainly surprised at her answer. If anyone wanted some reassurance on their hard work, that bastard scientist Hojo popped up first in Reno’s mind.

Siena physically shuddered at the mans name, rubbing her upper arm.  
“Yeah, well that man has a real sense of honor in his work. He’s content on believing that his way is the only correct and _true_ scientific way.” 

Reno settled for a quiet nod as a response, feeling a tinge of guilt for bringing up the man who’d done god knows what to Siena. Shinra had kept a respectful enough grasp on Siena, but that certainly didn’t stop the director from getting away with some fucked up tests. That creep always got away with doing things under the Presidents favoritism.

_“So much for leaving HQ behind...”_ Siena thought to herself, refocusing her gaze on the trail ahead. It seemed more clear to her now that no matter how far she’d run from that evil building, it would always find a way to tower over her. 

Siena recalled the times she’d been disrupted from her daily tasks to go read a directors future, even if she had urged them to believe that their readings from prior wouldn’t change. She’d explain countless times that the visions she pulled from a person had to occur before she could see something new, but the directors relented regardless. The President wasn’t much better, especially considering his fanatical obsession with finding the promised land and placing Shinra on top of the world. Reeve Tuesti, the Urban Developments director was the only Shinra official who relented from using Siena’s power for personal gain. There were times where she had read the Presidents son, Vice President Rufus, but those times were extremely rare. It seemed political and family drama were causes of the sparse encounters, but Siena didn’t bother to trouble herself with those details. Anything regarding personal Shinra affairs were a troublesome topic Siena much preferred to steer clear from.

And then there was Scarlet, a woman who kindled a different type of fear within Siena. Her piercing laughter didn’t annoy Siena like Heideggers loud belly laugh--it scared her. The woman had little regard for human respect, this being evident when Siena would enter the directors office to see an unfortunate security officer acting as Scarlet’s leg rest. Her overwhelming amiability to Siena nerved her, and her obvious attempts at convincing Siena to adopt her sadistic ways made the oracle even more cautious. 

Siena huddled closer to the blanket draped around her shoulders. “Lets just drop the Shinra topic while we’re out here. _Away_ from HQ” she begged.

Reno raised his head up towards the sky, his eyes pointed towards the general direction of HQ. Even with all the luxury topside offered him, he couldn’t deny the tranquility the lower plates held. Being away from the office usually meant he was meddling in Shinra’s dirty work, but his position as Siena’s Turk was a nice change of pace. He wasn’t getting hurt and he wasn’t getting his suit stained with grime or some assholes blood. He planned to relish the calm time he’d spent with Siena.

Reno scoffed, giving the baton strapped on his belt a quick pat. “Yeah, I agree”

~ ~ ~

The sound of flowing water reached their ears as they continued forth, and It wasn’t long until the two wandered upon a small stream. Clusters of rock stretched across the water, the convenient placements forming a natural link to the other side. A large tree trunk awaited them, it’s bark and leaves covering the view behind it. Siena pointed towards the tree, turning to make sure her partner was paying attention.

“There! It’s just on the other side of the stream. All we need to do is cross over; the rocks will work as platforms we can step on” Siena began to advance forward, only to be pulled back by her hair from Reno. She let out a small yelp, turning to send him a disgruntled glare.

Reno cocked his head to the side, letting out a skeptical chuckle as his grip loosened on her hair. 

“Are you seriously going to parkour your way over to the other side?” he brought his fist up to his mouth, failing horrifically at hiding his smirk

“Of course I am” she grumbled, running her hands through her now messy hair. She pointed towards the body of water, letting her head fall to the side.

“Don’t tell me your feeling threatened by this little stream” she teased, elbowing his arm.

Reno snorted. “More like concerned for your clumsy ass.” He began forward, this time being the one to lead Siena along. He stopped at the edge of the stream, bringing his hand up to his chin as he eyed the rocks. Siena watched Reno examine the stream, curious as to what he was planning. After a curt nod to himself he looked over at Siena.

“Tell ya what” he began, his grin growing with mischievous intent. “The one to cross over the fastest gets one request of whatever they want from the loser” he brought a single finger up, waving it in front of Siena’s face.

Siena took a moment to perceive the challenge, turning to glance at the stream. It was a risky but amusing challenge. Scenario’s of what humiliation she’d put Reno through bounced through her mind, but at the same time the concern over what Reno had planned for _her_ added to the risk factor. She looked back, her eyes gleaming with newfound purpose.

“I don’t see why not. Just don’t whine when I beat you at your own suggestion” she declared as she made her way to the first rock.

“Hmm? So you see yourself winning this, huh?” Reno tapped his head, referencing to her oracle ability.

Siena chuckled, ecstatic at the fact that her power was currently the last thing on her mind. She cracked her knuckles, sending Reno a cocky smile of her own.

“Oh please. I don’t need to see the future to know I've got this victory”

Siena hopped onto the first rock, holding out her arms to keep her balance. Cautiously, she placed her foot on the next rock to test its stability before advancing onto it. From behind her she heard Reno stifling a chuckle.

“Careful Siena. I’d hate to have to get wet pulling you outta the water” Reno sneered. “It's pretty cool tonight and one of us getting sick would be a real pain in the ass.”

Siena took a deep breath, preparing herself before she began leaping her way across the flowing stream. She watched the water flow beneath her, paying the splashes of water that brushed her boots no mind. She couldn’t see the red-head behind her, but she was sure he was keeping a close eye on her movements. To Siena’s own surprise she found herself at the last rock in just a short amount of time. She felt instant relief as she finally placed her foot atop solid land.

Siena looked back, waving at Reno as she sent him a victorious smirk.

“I’d love to see you beat that; see if you’re really worth being called ‘The fastest Turk’” she called out, drawling on the silly nickname Reno prided himself in.

Reno whistled, shaking his head in fake disbelief. He shook his finger at the woman on the other side of the stream. 

“I will say you did better than expected. Was worried that you’d fall off like an idiot” he replied, pointing at a rock Siena had stumbled on. She disregarded the incident, looking away from the amused looking Reno.

“Are you just gonna stand there gawking or what? Do you need a hand to hold?” she cooed at him. Reno’s eyes lit up at the suggestion. Before he could get out a ribald comment, the warning glare Siena sent his way shut his mouth. He motioned with his hand for Siena to settle down.

“Alright alright, i’m coming...”

Siena got as close as she could to the edge, ignoring the water touching the tips of her boots. She raised her hand up to her mouth to further amplify her voice.

“Ok then! On the count of three” she called out. “One...two...”

Reno readied himself, raising his hand to his mouth to cover a yawn.

“Three--”

In an instant, the Turk disappeared from where he was standing. All Siena could see was a flash of blue as it shot forward, bounding from rock to rock. A gust of wind blew in Siena’s face, causing her to instinctively shield her eyes. She took a step back, unfortunately stepping on an unsteady rock. Siena let out a sharp cry of alarm, feeling her weight fall back as she’d began to brace herself for the impact. The hard ground however never met her back; instead, she’d fallen back into a warm figure, being kept upright by her waist. 

Siena slowly brought her hands from her face, looking up to see a very cocky looking Reno. He tilted his head to the side, his amused eyes taking up the bewildered expression on her face

“It was a pretty close call, but I think I've won” he declared snidely.

Siena glanced between the stream and Reno as she put her hands down. She blinked, muttering a terse “Oh” as Reno stood her up on her feet. 

She quickly regained focus, turning to pound her fists onto his arm.

“Now that was just dirty! You weren’t supposed to use your materia” she whined, a pout overtaking her face.

He poked at her cheek, shaking his head in objection. “Hmm, I don’t think so. You never stated any rules” he retorted, playfully sticking out his tongue. “Just suck it up sweetheart. I won fair and square.”

Deciding not to waste any more time arguing with the stubborn Turk, she made her way towards the large tree. Reno raised his shoulders, pointing between Siena and the stream. 

“And what about my reward?” Reno jeered. Siena continued forward, ignoring the protests from the Turk behind her.

“We’ll discuss that _later_ ” She replied, reaching the turning point of the trail. She placed her hand on the large tree obstructing Reno’s view. “We’ve finally arrived”

Reno watched Siena’s expression fall into a state of awe at whatever she was looking at. She disappeared behind the tree, not waiting for the Turk to follow suit. He made his way over, grumbling over the abandonment of their little game. All those worries however seemed to drift away from Reno’s mind as he caught sight of the scenery before him. 

They were now in a small grass clearing, a calm rocky waterfall flowed into a pond situated in the corner. The rustic metal debris scattered across the land were barely visible past the green shrub that engulfed it. Branches from the huge tree encircled over them, leaving a circular opening that the smoggy moonlight pierced through. 

His eyes turned back to Siena, who had laid down the blanket that was originally draped over her shoulder onto the grass. She settled down atop it, looking over at Reno as she patted the spot beside her. 

Reno proceeded towards her, his eyes scanning the small hidden paradise they were now in. He would have never known this place was accessible to Siena. Since that were the case, did he really have to worry about any hostiles in the area? He doubted monsters or any bandits would go through the trouble to maneuver their way here, seeing as there was nothing worthwhile to eat, destroy or loot. 

Reno laid back on the blanket, placing his hands under his head. He looked up to the Mako-congested sky. He’d never really understood why Siena was so infatuated with the sky. Even from the upper plates, even from the highest point on Shinra HQ, there was nothing to see but the polluting effects of Shinra greedily sucking up the planet's life force.

“This is what you were so eager to show?” he asked, the exhaustion from his long day evident in his tone.

Siena nodded, her eyes eagerly drinking up the serene view before them. 

“Yeah. A nice little getaway from the city...well in this case, the slums” she replied, her hands fiddling with the soft grass besides her.

Reno let out a hum, clearly not as entranced as the woman. She took notice of this and her excited demeanor slightly faltered. 

“I think it's nice…” she mumbled, slightly disappointed at his reaction. Reno took notice of the shift in her tone, letting out a sigh.

“Sorry I can’t appreciate this as much as you. I could care less about the world around us” he said, keeping his voice as lighthearted as possible.”I do work for the company that monopolizes off of it.”

Siena paused, letting his words sit in the air. Reno’s lack of professionalism always made Siena forget he was a Shinra employee. The contrast between Reno and his fellow Turks brought up a question Siena hadn’t quite delved in before. 

“Hey Reno?”

“What’s up?”

“...Why did you become a Turk?”

Reno paused, slightly taken aback by the sudden question. He’d never really thought about it from a philosophical point. Unlike the other Turks, his choice was made on a whim. He didn’t have a strong sense of honor to uphold his profession like Tseng, a naturally equipped body like Rude, nor an admiration for the organization like Elena. 

He let out a thoughtful hum, thinking best on how to word his underwhelming backstory.

“I grew up in the slums, just like a majority of Midgar citizens” He began. “It was a pain in the ass to live comfortably in that shit hole, so when i’d heard of the Turks, I thought ‘why the hell not?’ I can pack a hell of a punch” He paused, softly chuckling to himself. Here he was, spouting about his past to Siena. He did that very rarely, only having indulged his long time partner Rude with that information. He was sure Tseng also had it on record in some file hidden away. 

Well shit. Now Reno couldn’t deny the amount of trust he held in the woman. He was now coming to the realization that Siena was more than just a client needing protection. 

“I guess I just wanted to let loose, y’know? Figured i’d get paid as a working Turk. Y’know we get compensated more than SOLDIERS.” 

Siena let out a soft chuckle, causing Reno to send her a questioning look.

“What’s so funny huh?”

The thoughts that were no doubt running through her mind reflected on her face. She held a tranquil expression, a small and somber smile graced her lips. Her amethyst-eyes shined in the cloudy rays of moonlight that peaked through the plates high above the pair.

“I just think it’s strange that people voluntarily put themselves under Shinra. I wonder if I were one of those people, maybe my experiences would be more enjoyable. I’ve been stuck under this company for years...far more longer than you” she offered a chided smile. Reno raised his hands up, shaking them in feigned amazement.

“Wow~ So that means you're the better company man here, huh?” he mocked, his eyes now finding more interest in Siena than the sky.

Siena didn’t respond, leaving the two in a serene, comfortable silence. The splashes of water running from the small waterfall filled the air, crickets sung from their hiding places. Reno’s eyes felt heavy, though the Turk within him made sure he wouldn’t lose consciousness. He’d expected Siena to make a comment about his unusual quietude, but the silence continued to draw on longer than he’d like. He let out a restless grunt, opening his mouth to cause a ruckus when--

“And now that I think about it...You're like the crickets” her soft voice pierced the silence, leaving the red-haired frozen from the abrupt statement.

Reno slightly sat up to stare at Siena blankly, blinking as he questioned whether he’d heard her properly. He scanned her face for any indications of sarcasm, but he’d found nothing. He only saw a genuine look of thoughtfulness, causing his eyebrows to furrow in bafflement.

“...Say what?” He finally let out a query, unsure of whether or not to laugh at his current predicament. 

Her eyes stayed glued to the pond as she hugged her knees to her chest, resting her head atop them.

“I’ve been with Shinra my entire life, even before they came up to my doorstep. I didn’t live in whatever time I had left with my family. The future always plagued my mind and I--” she paused, feeling a familiar sense of sorrow tug at her throat. Siena fiddled with the helm of her sleeve, lowering her head in hopes to hide her vulnerability.

“I didn’t feel like I belonged in the present. And even now I still don’t feel like I'm actually _living_. I’m just here, waiting for my eyes to take me even further towards...the last vision i’ll have to offer.”

Reno listened quietly, respectfully. From the time he’d spent with Siena, the woman never truly discussed her feelings on her situation. From what Reno knew before he’d met her, she was just some woman born with a power that Shinra revered. When he and Rude had been introduced to her, she didn’t seem bothered by her situation. He assumed by then she’d had plenty of time to accept her fate with the company. The Turks were initially assigned to ensure she didn’t try to escape from Shinra as she grew older, but there wasn’t a single time Siena tried anything troublesome. She was a kind, gentle woman who always wore a slight smile. To anyone else she’d appear carefree and content with herself, but anyone with ties to the company knew one thing for sure.

Siena was a prisoner of Shinra.

“Being locked away in some grim room at Shinra HQ, my only company being Shinra workers making sure I'm alive, I never really had the chance to form personal bonds with people. And now that I've been given my own home here between Sector 5 and 6, I don’t even feel comfortable and prepared enough to befriend the locals” she continued, clutching her hands together.

“You're a different level of shy, aren’t ya?” Reno mused, a part of him hoping it’d lighten up Siena’s mood.

She let out a sigh, nodding her head.

“I”m the Oracle--Shinra’s trump card. Not Siena...” she trailed off, her gaze locking onto something in the air. Reno’s eyes followed her gaze to a lingering firefly. It slowly ascended higher into the air, its lamp flickering as it joined a couple more of its friends.

“But with you, I guess I've gained some humanity... You treat me just like any other person. You don’t see me as anyone special. Just like the crickets” she began. “You're the only one who does that. Everyone else; the other Turks, the officers, directors, President and VP...they can’t talk to me without having to inquire about my power once.”

She turned to look at Reno, sending him a soft and thoughtful smile. Reno’s eyes slightly widened. Recently, he’d been feeling a different type of connection stir with Siena. He couldn’t deny she was a pleasure to look at, her long black hair and deep purple eyes attracting full attention, but his feelings never really stemmed away from his role as her Turk. It seemed he wasn’t the only one noticing this change, as his partner Rude would occasionally poke fun at him; an unusual tactic from the stoic man. He swallowed the lump that had begun to form in his throat, dragging his subconscious back to reality.

“Even with all your teasing it...makes me feel really good” she continued, waving her fist playfully at him. He mimicked the gesture, letting out a soft toned chuckle.

“I’ll admit I admire your tenacity. You’ve handled your situation pretty damn well” he praised.

Siena softly giggled, closing her eyes as a fresh breeze swept across her face. “I guess I have, huh?”

Reno took a glance at his baton, his mind now reminiscing about his time with the company. He pulled the weapon from his belt, giving it a quick look over before letting it fall from his hand onto the blanket. “I don’t exactly enjoy the shit I’ve gotta do for Shinra, but it’s better than scrounging around in the slums.”

“Understandable...Get a job and make a living. There’s nothing wrong with that” she said, more so to herself. It was the hard truth, one Siena found her naive self struggled to accept. She wondered if things would be different if Shinra didn’t have Midgar wrapped around its finger. Siena internally laughed at the concept. She didn’t see a future without Shinra happening anytime soon. 

Reno let out a lazy murmur in response, his eyes feeling heavier with every passing moment.

Siena noticed the unusual drowsiness in his voice. “Tired?”

Reno nodded, masking a yawn.

“Yeah...been a busy day watching your ass” he quipped, playfully slapping Siena’s leg with the back of his hand.

Siena chuckled, giving the laid back red-head a quick look over.

“You should take a nap” She suggested. “Nothing beats resting up surrounded by all this nature.”

Reno clicked his tongue, shaking his head in disapproval of the suggestion.

“You...You seriously just recommended a working Turk to sleep on the job” he retorted.

Siena shrugged, keeping her smile on despite the degrading glare Reno pointed towards her. “I’ll be fine! There’s no way any baddies would find their way here”

Reno’s hand waved the offer away, his expression somewhat hardening. “Your vision of the attack is supposed to go down this week. We’ve got a couple days till it could happen so I don’t want to cut it close.” 

Siena took a quick glance of the vicinity. “I don’t think it’ll happen here though...” she mumbled. 

“That so? And what about monsters?” Reno further questioned.

Siena pulled her sleeve up, revealing a materia-filled bangle on her arm. The bangle was crafted from an obsidian-like metal, gold accents adding elegance to it’s design. It wrapped across her wrist like a serpent and five materia orbs were embedded into it’s slots. 

“I can take on monsters!” she beamed. “I’ve got the highest grade Materia equipped, plus training from some Shinra officials back at HQ” 

Seeing the unimpressed expression on Reno, she became frantic to find more excuses. Without thinking, she grabbed his baton, waving it in the air.  
“And if I swing hard enough, it’ll scare them away.”

Reno scoffed at her naive demeanor, incredulous at the fact that this was the same highly-esteemed oracle of Shinra.

Siena pulled her eyes from Reno to his baton. She lashed it forward, causing its retractable pole to extend to its full length. Its handle was a solid black, the Shinra Electric Company logo was embedded into the center of it. The retractable pole was a silver metal, the tip seemed to be traced with some sort of mechanism. It wasn’t like the standard Shinra batons officers would use. It was special made, just for Reno. 

The blanket ruffled around, causing Siena to whip her head around. Reno had sat up, brushing off any foreign dust from his suit. He looked over at Siena, raising his arm to point at her.

"If you're not careful with that thing, it'll give ya a real zap" he crooked his finger at the baton.

"...How exactly does it work?" Siena inquired, her tone calm compared to her previously zestful attitude. “I don’t think you’ve properly explained it to me.”

The Turk let out a short chuckle as he scooted himself up to sit beside Siena. His form leaned close to her, allowing her to get a whiff of his expensive cologne. It was a sweet and familiar scent to Siena, though it tugged stronger at her nose within the close vicinity. His head stopped right next to hers, the arm supporting his weight was placed behind her. He brought his free arm forward, pointing at his baton.

"I've fought with this thing for as long as I can remember. It's small but strong. It's the only weapon that can keep up with my speed" he bragged, his grin growing as he recalled the enemies he’d pummeled.

Reno’s breath brushed against Siena’s ear, causing her to involuntarily shiver. From the close vicinity, she could practically feel the vibrations of his voice erupt from his chest. His breath smelled of mint and she felt the heat radiating off of him.

"I fight with lightning materia. It gives me the fast reflexes and speed I zip around with, though you already knew that. It also works as energy, so I can shoot projectiles from the end. It's a taser, so--" his hand shot out to grab Siena's, which was reaching out to poke at the tip.

The two locked eyes, and he flashed her a cheeky smirk. 

"No touching" he drawled, slowly inching his face closer. Siena pulled back with every inch approached, feeling his breath fan against her face. His eyes locked onto her lips, the cerulean pearl's of his glistened with intentions unbeknownst to Siena. She’d leaned back far enough to bump into the arm he’d placed behind him. The distance became increasingly short, the red-head only stopping as the tip of their nose met. The nightly ambiance around them came to a halt, the blood thumping through her ears being the only thing Siena heard. Reno had pushed this a little farther than she would have liked and as much as she wanted to sock him right in the face, she was frozen on the spot. 

Reno blew a whiff of air in her face, only momentarily cooling her blush. He let go of his grip on her hand, reaching over to grab the baton from her frozen grasp. He suddenly pulled back, tossing the baton into his other hand.

"You've got a basic understanding on it, yeah? Well, all you need to know is to not find yourself on the other end" he swiped his tongue over his bottom lip, trailing his fingers over the baton. 

Siena stared at him, still bewildered over the interaction that just went down. Her cheeks were burning profusely and the world around her seemed to spin. Reno was a naturally touchy person, but something about the interaction that just occurred suggested he had slightly different plans going through his head. She straightened her posture, giving her cheeks a light slap.

"Your left handed, h-huh? I'd nearly forgotten" She nearly blurted, averting her eyes away from the Turk. Watching her flustered response from the corner of his eye, Reno chuckled knowing he’d won yet another game.

"That I am" he replied, twirling his baton in his hand. Siena inched away from the him, opting to focus her gaze on her fiddling thumbs.

“Now that I think about it, I’ve never seen you _seriously_ fight” she stammered, praying to the gods that her face wasn’t as red as it felt. 

“You haven’t, huh? One of these days I’ll put on a good show just for you, sweetheart” he swooned. 

Another unfamiliar spark coursed through her chest upon hearing the nickname. She internally cursed herself for getting so flustered. He’d used that nickname on her countless times before, so why was it bothering her so much now? Her mind was in such a state of panic that her thoughts ran rampant, clogging up her logical thinking capabilities.

Siena planned to keep her head down until they returned home, but the red-headed Turk had other ideas. He placed his thumb and finger beneath her chin, raising it up to face him.

“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” He whispered, his voice deep and low. His hand cupped her cheek, caressing his thumb over her soft skin.

Siena internally strained to bolt out of the man's grasp, but her eyes failed to pull away from his cyanic pearls. The sardonic grin he always wore irritated her to no end, but the lustful synergy in his lidded eyes made him look more attractive than ever. His lips were parted and the forbidden thought of how they felt crossed her mind.

Siena swallowed the lump in her throat, cursing the betrayal of her current flustered expression. She opened her mouth to scold Reno for the pressure he’d put her through but before she could let loose he suddenly pulled away from her. His grip on his baton tightened, his finger now placed over the button that would activate the lightning materia. 

“Like...maybe right now” He added, the playful grin on his face melting away. He placed his hands on the ground, pushing himself up to his feet. Siena looked up at him, still dazed from their tension. Reno looked away from Siena, his eyes focusing themselves on a large bush in the distance. 

He softly mumbled “here we go” to himself.

Before Siena could further question Reno’s actions, his figure bolted away in the blink of an eye. The blue strays of lightning that trailed after the man were the only things that reached Siena’s eyes, seconds delayed from his actual departure.

She jumped to her feet, all feelings of annoyance towards Reno now turned into ones of concern and dismay. The fears that flooded her mind ever since her lock down had begun were confirmed when she heard violent rustling erupt from behind the bush Reno had darted to. 

“Reno!?” She called out, her voice frantic. 

The rustling had immediately halted and the blood thumping within Siena’s ears was the only thing she could hear. She slowly took a step forward, holding out her hand in front of her. The materia on her bangle glowed, ready to dispel magic at her call. She took slow, deep breaths to calm herself. If things went south, she’d have to face whatever Reno tackled herself. She couldn’t count on Rude finding them, especially in such a secluded area. Her pinky and ring finger lowered, the materia on her bangle recognized the formation of her hand as a fire spell. The red orb felt warm through the metal, ensuring Siena of its functionality. Siena took one more step forward before a sound finally erupted from the bush.

“And that’s a wrap!” Reno’s voice called out, causing Siena to jump. She clutched her chest, letting out a heavy sigh of relief as Reno’s head popped up from the bush. 

“Jeez Reno, what the hell was that!?” She exclaimed, lowering her hand. Reno held out his palm and crooked his finger forward, ushering Siena towards him. She cautiously approached him, eyeing him curiously. Looking over the greenery, she let out a gasp as she saw what was surrounding the Turk.

Two unconscious men were sprawled out besides Reno, a single conscious one was pinned beneath him. Their faces were hidden behind a black cloth strung around their mouth and black-lense goggles atop their eyes. Beneath their dark-grey robes they were outfitted with a heavy vest and grey boots accompanied their black pants. Across their bodies were also belt straps and weapon holsters. 

Reno held the mans arms together, his knee digging into his captives spine. 

“A buncha assholes snooping around our special little hideout” He explained, his eyes trained on the intruder beneath him. Siena treaded lightly around the bush, watching for any movement from the other men as she passed them. 

Reno grabbed an arm, harshly pulling it up towards him. The man let out a strained cry, his teeth gritting at the pain. With his free hand, Reno reached into his pocket to pull out his PHS. He tossed it at Siena, who had barely caught it. 

“Dial Rude. Tell him we’ve got our threats laid out here” He ordered, taking a quick glance of the vicinity. Siena didn’t waste a second to scour his contacts for his fellow Turk. 

She pressed the dial button, raising it up to her ear. She swayed in place nervously, though the feeling was short-lived as Rude was quick to pick up the call.

“Reno?” Rude’s gruff voice rang from the other line.

“Uh, Siena actually...” She replied, scratching her cheek. 

“Siena? Whats happened to Reno?” He questioned, his stoic tone not swaying in response to the unexpected caller.

“Well, funny thing is” she chuckled nervously, inching closer to Reno as one of the unconscious bodies twitched. “We were being stalked by a trio of suspicious looking men. Reno apprehended them, so we’re safe”

Siena flinched as she heard another yelp of agony from the man.

“For now...” 

Rude stayed quiet for a moment, no doubt analyzing the sound from the other line. 

“Understood. I’ll make my way towards you two now” he finally replied. 

“Ok! You’ll find us at the--”

“I know where you two are” He stated, not allowing her to finish her sentence. 

“Right then...we’ll be here” she responded, instantly hearing the hang-up beep before she got the chance to say more. Pulling the PHS from her ear, she frowned at the interrogation occurring before her. 

“Do ya feel like talking now, Buddy?” Reno sneered, moving his knee around. He pulled off the cloth and goggles covering the mans face, tossing them in front of him.

“G-Get the fuck off me you--gah!” The man cried out as Reno struck another pressure point.

“C’mon man. Don’t be like that. Make it easier for the both of us, huh?” Reno said, reaching into his own pocket. He pulled out a small circular object, and with a push of a button, it enlarged into a set of yellow electric handcuffs. He locked them over the mans hands. He pulled out two more, tossing them towards Siena. No words were needed to prompt Siena to arrest the other two. 

Siena cautiously kneeled besides one of the men, bringing his arms over his back. As she secured the handcuffs she examined the cracked strap of the goggles, no doubt due to a clean swing to the head by Reno’s baton. 

_“Definitely gonna leave a bruise...”_

Moving to handcuff the other male, she couldn’t brush aside a sense of uncertainty rising within her. The intruders her vision depicted matched the description of these males, but the scenery around them did not. There weren’t flashing lights around them. Her mind drifted to the fireflies they’d encountered earlier, but they weren’t as bright nor colorful as the lights she’d seen in her vision. 

“Your buddies are already knocked out, so whats the point in struggling?” Reno grumbled, beginning his search in the mans clothes. 

“We haven’t lost yet!” The man managed out. Judging by the wheezy tone of his voice, Siena could tell Reno’s hold was putting stress on his chest. “You Turks ain’t shit!!”

Reno let out a whistle as he pulled out a revolver from the mans pocket. He examined its model, his eyes peeking in interest as he identified it. This was a fairly new model, that fact alone already proving these guys were more than just lowly bandits. 

“So you know about us huh? Right...and that’s why I've got you down on your stomach” he rolled his eyes, putting the gun to his side. He rifled further into his clothes, sparing Siena a glance. 

“I’d suggest you run back home but who knows how many more of these assholes could be lurking around” He said, tossing more of the mans belongings to the side. He refocused his gaze to his captive.

“You mentioned ‘we’ earlier. So you’re part of an organization. Lemme guess...AVALANCHE? Some anti-Shinra gang? Would I be too bold to even say Wutai?” 

The man continued to squirm beneath Reno despite his odds. “Doesn’t matter what you Shinra shits do to us! We ain’t talking!” 

Reno sighed, raising his hands and shaking his head. He turned to look at Siena.

“See the kinda stuff we gotta put up with? This one’s real stubborn. Seems like he won’t be spilling anything” He reached into the breast pocket of his suit, a blue aroma dispelling itself from the powder he pinched between his fingers. 

“I ain’t gonna bother wasting time with you. Don’t worry though. You’ll answer to us at HQ” Reno ridiculed, giving the man one more knee dig into the spine. 

He dropped the powder onto the mans face and in a matter of seconds the man fell still and unconscious. Reno brought himself to his feet, brushing off his suit. He walked over to Siena, doing a quick check over of her. 

“You alright?” he asked, his expression kind compared to the malicious grin he wore when dealing with the stranger.

Siena slowly nodded, her eyes wandering the vicinity. 

“Yeah, I guess...and what about him?” she pointed at the man. Reno didn’t remove his gaze from Siena as he waved his hand dismissively. 

“That asshole will be fine. Just a little sleep spell. Won’t do him any harm” he replied reassuringly. 

Siena nodded, giving her materia-bangle a reassuring pat. The trio was in no position to harm her or Reno, so why was she still feeling apprehensive? Her concerned expression didn’t slip past Reno.

“You seem concerned. Did’ya not see me kick their asses?” he exclaimed, sending her a cheeky grin as he pointed with his thumb towards them.

She grew a small, reassured smile on her lips. He always knew what to do to soothe her in times like these. 

“Of course I did, though you scared the hell out of me while doing so...”  
her gaze wandered down to the unconscious man to the right of her, her eyes widening as they locked onto something. 

She crouched down, rolling the man onto his back. Reno crouched down alongside her, raising a questioning eyebrow. Siena pulled the cloak up and it was then that Reno’s eyes caught sight of whatever she’d noticed. A slip of paper was sticking out from the mans heavy vest. She grabbed the paper, pulling it away and unfolding it. Reno leaned in closer to get a better view of the contents. 

“Its...a map” Siena murmured, angling the paper more towards Reno. His eyes traced the various markings and drawings, eyes narrowing as he’d comprehended whatever it depicted. 

“It’s a pretty detailed map of Sector 6...Look” he pointed to an encircled area. Siena’s stomach lurched, her lips parting as her nerves once again ramped up. 

The trio of men were showing an excessive amount of interest in the outskirts of Sectors 5 and 6--the relative area of Siena’s home. 

“It’s too close for comfort” Reno commented, sending a glare towards the men he’d struck down. Siena allowed the map to slip into Reno’s hold as her hands retreated to cower close to her figure. 

“Does this mean...” she began, clutching the fabric of her sleeve. Reno opened his mouth to speak, but the sound of approaching footsteps alerted him to bounce to his feet. Shoving the map into his pocket he stepped in front of Siena, testing the stun button on his baton. 

“It’s me” 

The deep voice of Rude (ironically) settled the pair. Reno instantly relaxed himself, holding out his hand to help Siena up to her feet. The man entered the opening, followed closely by three security officers. With a simple motion of his hand, he ordered the officers to apprehend the intruders. 

Siena watched the officers reply with a quick “yes sir!” before they brushed past her to hoist the men from the ground. 

“Did you extract anything from them?” Rude questioned. Right to the point, as always.  
“I chose the wrong guys to knock out. The one I left conscious was a stubborn bastard. He was one of those ‘not gonna give up!’ type of guy” he grumbled, pointing at said man. Rude gave a silent nod, turning to Siena. 

“Everything fine with you?” he asked. 

Siena nodded, silently fiddling with her hands. 

Rude pushed up his glasses, watching the men get dragged away from the corner of his eye. 

“Then this completes your vision” he stated, rather than questioned. Siena once again settled for a silent nod. The two Turks immediately sensed the atypical silence of the woman, sparing each other a glance. Reno nudged his head towards the exit, a gesture Rude had understood as _“I’ll tell you later.”_  
Rude cleared his throat, giving Siena a reassuring pat on her shoulder. 

“We’ll escort you back to your house now. Considering how HQ responds to this situation, we may have to extend your curfew” he stated straightforwardly. 

Siena’s eyes momentarily widened at the statement before she pursed her lips together. The last thing she wanted was a report back from HQ. A situation occurring just as she’d finally escaped that building wasn’t going to fare well in her favor. An extended curfew wasn’t in the slightest what she was worried about--it was the thought of returning to that suffocating room... 

“Yes, of course” she softly responded. Rude stepped aside, ushering her to move forward.

Siena began her way towards the exit, followed closely by the Turks at her side. This little trip of her’s was meant to give her a sense of tranquility during the threat, but it had resulted in anything but that.

It was now becoming apparent that her vision had only shown a fraction of what was to come.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for the support and stay safe ^^


	3. || The Morning of the Beginning  ||

Siena spent a restless night once she arrived back home. The bed felt luxurious beneath her drowsy body, but that didn't calm the storm brewing within her head. Even knowing the Turks and a handful of security officers would spend their night guarding her lodging, she felt extremely paranoid. Any shadows spotted moving past the window had her sinking further under her blankets and the scuffle from the nightlife outside nearly prompted her to call for security on several occasions.

The lonesome nighttime she'd come to love was now frightening her to no end.

Her life appeared to be beginning at last. She would learn to move about independently, to take on the daily routines of a Midgar citizen. She'd have to deal with the occasional Turk checkup, that fact was irrefutable, but anything was better than dealing with the guards permanently planted outside her room at HQ. The chances of that lonely life returning to Siena were on the rise considering the situation at hand.

As if her mind couldn’t get more congested with complications, the situation regarding her red-headed bodyguard resurfaced. Reno, the usual tease, had taken things past Siena’s comfort zone. The insanely close proximity where their noses had practically touched, the deep blue of his eyes were vivid and transparent. Siena rolled to the side, her hand reached up to touch her cheeks where he had placed his palms. 

Now that she thought about it, she couldn’t recall a time where her heart had felt so... _alive_. It was a sensation familiar to fear, but it didn’t hold the hostility Siena was so used to. Was this a touch of care or meaningless play? Whatever emotion this was now had Siena debating whether it was more dangerous than the physical intruders threatening her safety.

Reno overstepped his boundaries, and it was a shame Siena didn’t get to scold him. Her best choice now was to completely wipe that encounter from her head, if at all possible... 

It was a wonder how she even managed to drift away into a slumber. She supposed she'd have to thank her melted down brain for putting her unconscious.

Unfortunately her life wasn't like a temporary dream. The morning, a usual time of rejuvenation and starting anew was anything but. The lively chirps of the birds seated on her windowsill encouraged Siena to push herself up. She swung her legs over the side of her bed, stretching out her arms and back. 

Begrudgingly, she pulled herself away from the bed. 

Almost mechanically, she reached into the drawer of her nightstand, pulling out her materia bangle to slip through her wrist. She recalled its fire activation from last night; it was the first time she’d aim with the intent to actually fire at someone. All she ever had to attack were targets in the space of a practice range. She didn’t have the heart for violence, but she understood the necessity for self defense, especially in the slums. 

Siena stopped in front of her mirror, staring into her reflection. The sparse sleep she had showed on her face; dark circles hung beneath her eyes and she held a worn out expression on her face. She covered a yawn coming from her mouth, already dreading the long day before her.

Once she changed into her usual attire she exited her room, descending down the stairs. The sound of her footsteps were the only sounds reverberating within the house, leading her to believe she was alone. At the last step however, her gaze was only to be met by her two _knightly_ Turks seated at her dining table. 

“Good morning _princess_ ” Reno cooed, waving his fingers at her. The front legs of his chair were pushed off the ground, his leg slouched haphazardly on the table. A jar of cookies rested on the table, it's capacity nearly empty no doubt due to Reno's appetite. Rude on the other hand faced towards a nearby window, not bothering to look over at the oracle. 

Siena felt a flutter within her chest upon seeing the redhead, a quick flashback to last night stung her mind, but the drowsiness of her current mood and his unsanitary shoe on her table overtook her thoughts. There was also the intense hunger gnawing at her stomach.

She let out a drowsy mumble in response, heading straight towards the cabinet that would provide her with her well-needed breakfast. Passing Reno's laid-back figure she shoved his foot off the table, invoking a grumble from the Turk.

“Well you sure as hell missed out on your beauty sleep” he mumbled, draping his arm over the top of the chair. 

Siena didn't respond as she rummaged through her cabinets. She pulled a loaf of bread, deciding a simple breakfast sandwich would suffice considering her low energy. Though she usually enjoyed a nice cooking to start off her day, she’d rather prefer to do so away from the eyes of her guests. Knowing them, they’d probably pull her away from the popping oil from a cooking pan...

She turned away from the cabinet, her eyes scanning the back of the stoic Turk. As usual the man didn’t exhibit any sort of vulnerability around Siena, even with his back to her. Sometimes she wondered if he ever showed more ‘liveliness’ off the clock. His poise posture practically seemed permanent to his bulky build. 

“Good morning Rude. Did you have anything to eat yet? ” she asked, her hands occupied with the assembly of her meal. 

From her side Reno clicked his tongue, his eyes shooting between Siena and Rude like an overlooked child. “Not gonna offer me anything? I could be hungry too ya know.”

Siena lazily pointed towards the table. Reno’s gaze followed it’s course, his eyes landing on the cookie jar. 

"You sure? ‘Cause judging by the now nearly empty jar on the table, i'd think otherwise ” she retorted.

Rude finally turned away from the window, most likely already displeased with the rowdy scene beginning to unfold behind him. He made his way over to the table, pulling up a seat across from his partner.

“Good morning Siena. I haven't, but I plan on getting something during my trip to HQ ” he replied. "Thank you for the offer."

Siena’s eyes widened a fraction, lips instantly falling into a frown upon hearing of the building. Her hands slowed and the meal before her now seemed unappetizing. It was almost as if she could taste the food Shinra served her; specially made by the finest cooks, as expected from the high-end company, but its taste bland and never filling. 

Siena lowered her head, hoping to hide the frown on her lips from the Turks’ sight.

"So you're returning... I don't suppose they've told you anything before you head over?" she inquired, the concern evident in her voice. 

Rude took notice of her morose posture. It was painfully obvious to the two Turks that she was scrounging for any news disproving her fears of Shinra intervention. Rude paused in thought as Siena joined the two at the table, the oracle not hesitating to kick Reno’s intruding legs from her legroom.

Rude pulled off his glasses, reaching to pull a handkerchief from his chest pocket to begin cleaning its dark lenses. 

"At the moment no. They only requested one of us report back for a briefing” He glanced towards Reno, who was slipping yet another cookie into his mouth. 

"Reno would be the logical one to send as he was present during the encounter, but we both agreed he's not the best when it comes to the paperwork."

Siena sent Reno a disapproving scowl, her eyes glaring daggers at the careless red-head. Reno shamefully put the cookie down and his eyes refused to meet Siena’s judging stare.

“What? Rude's the one who said he wanted to go” he groused, his voice muffled with crumbs. 

Rude returned his gaze to his glasses. “It's no matter. He was unable to extract any vocal information from the offenders anyways.”

Siena wiped her mouth with a napkin, disregarding the taste of her rushed product. "So we don't know anything about them? At all?" 

Rude glanced at Reno, a cue for his partner to redeem himself. Reno tapped the back of his seat, his other hand drummed across the surface of the wooden table. 

"The only thing I pulled out of their asses were mil-spec guns" he began. “The top grade stuff. That already raises a couple alarms...And then there was that map. An overall picture of the Sector 5 and 6 area.” His eyes narrowed as he recalled his inspection of the other intruders. A coordinated group, Reno could already conclude by the matching attire. They were probably well trained; mil-specs most likely stolen from Shinra wouldn’t go to some grunts. He didn’t want to think about how differently the situation could of gone were it them that had the jump on Reno.

“Even if it didn't directly pinpoint your place, it's too close to be considered a coincidence” he concluded.

Siena hummed, propping her chin atop her palm. "The man didn't seem to pay any mind to me when Reno had him on the ground" she recalled. “He got a pretty good look at me but didn’t react suspiciously.”

Rude nodded, taking the occurrence into mind. “We don't know any associations they may have with you but HQ will most definitely take precautions.” 

“There’s also that vision of yours that started all of this” Reno’s voice recalled the rooms attention. “Guess we should talk about that before Rude takes off. You told me last nights scuffle didn’t match the vision?” 

Siena’s eyes lowered to her hands. It was a really irresponsible way of thinking, but she now wished she hadn’t told the officials about her vision. If this was all kept to herself, she would have already accomplished so much in her newly gained independence.   
She wasn’t known for lying, not only due to the fact that she’s the worst liar, but because something within her told her that Shinra would just _know_ of her secrets. There was also the sense of oracle duty within her mind that impulses her to share her sights. Thoughts like those led Siena to the conclusion that she really was just a tool.

Siena fiddled with her bangle, nodding in response. “Yeah. As I mentioned back then, I saw a lot of...” she trailed off, reminiscing of the now vague vision. “flashy lights” she motioned with hands. “It was kind of loud too even though I was the only one there.”

Reno let out an exasperated sigh, his leg began to bounce. No news to make this investigation short and simple. “Your visions are always so hazy. That’s all ya got?” he prodded.

Siena crossed her arms over her chest, also feeling frustration for not painting a better picture. Visions not activated by touch were unpredictable and had indistinct meaning. The only thing she had somewhat of a grasp on was the time-frame of its occurrence. 

“Besides it taking place this week, i’m afraid that’s it” she admitted. 

Rude put his glasses back on. He rolled his sleeve up to spare a glance at his watch. 

He cleared his throat. “I see. We’ll just have to work with that then.” 

He pulled himself out of his chair, brushing off his suit before walking towards the front door. He paused to adjust his collar in a small mirror hanging from the wall. 

“Well then, I'll be on my way now” he announced. Siena nodded, standing up to make her way besides Rude. She pushed the door open, holding it open as courtesy. 

“Of course...wouldn’t want to be late. Thank you for another day of your service.”

The man turned to his partner, raising a finger to motion at him. 

“Your in charge here” his deep voice exacted.

Reno saluted a simple farewell, his unperturbed grin contradicted Rude’s stoic expression. “Course partner. See ya soon.”

Rude took a step out of the door frame, only to look to his side as Siena patted his shoulder. She retracted her arm, crossing them over her chest as she leaned on the frame. She stood quiet and Rude could see she was hesitant on speaking

“Hey, Rude...when you get there--”

“Yeah” he abruptly cut her off, saving her the effort to speak. Siena shut her mouth, internally laughing at the transparency of her anxious state. He sent her a reassuring nod. “I’ll update you as soon as I can.” 

Without another word Rude advanced away from the door. Siena watched as his black-suited figure descended the same trail that had jump started the current situation. The man soon disappeared behind the brush, on a route straight towards HQ. Siena let out a sigh, turning back into her home. The clicking of the door initiated a drawling silence between the remaining pair and ticks of a nearby clock seemed excessively loud.

"So...." Reno began, his finger drumming atop the wooden table was the only other sound within the room. 

"So..." Siena repeated.

And so that _other_ affair rekindled within Siena's mind. She gave the doorknob one last tug before making her way back to the table. She promptly began to put her things back to their place, all while avoiding the lingering gaze of Reno.

The Turk found himself grinning at Siena’s unusual timidness. Last night seemed to have more of an effect on her than Reno expected. His actions were an experiment of sorts; a new teasing method to get on her nerves all while getting a little fun of his own. He’d been working way overtime, so he was bound to get easily bored with his tame methods. Reno was aware of her inexperience; that was probably what made her reactions all the more amusing to him. He chuckled to himself, realizing even he was getting a kick out of his feelings regarding Siena.

“Guess we're staying here all day” he announced, pushing himself off the chair. 

Siena turned the faucet on, her hands began to wash the dishes she used.   
"That doesn't sound too enjoyable...” She muttered. 

Reno ignored the comment, allowing himself to wander across Siena’s abode. It was a small, but comfortable enough place. It wasn’t like there needed to be more room--the house was constructed for a single person anyway. It had the humble appearance of a lower plate home but the novelty of a Shinra issued lodging. 

Reno found himself looking through whatever belongings Siena had brought from her room. There was little to see as most of the pictures hung on the walls were of basic scenes from places like Costa del Sol and The Golden Saucer, all planted there by Shinra to make it seem ‘inconspicuous’. Any photos Siena had were kept back in her old room, as most of them depicted classified Shinra officials and information. 

The sound of the tap being turned off rang from behind Reno as he patted the plush of a nearby sofa. 

“Leaving your hair everywhere, like a cat” Reno scoffed, raising his arm to show a long strand of Siena's hair pinched between his fingers. “Don't you think it's time to cut it? It's crazy long.” 

Siena turned to Reno, her hands wrapped themselves around a hand towel. “You didn’t break anything, did you?” she asked as she examined the area Reno was in. 

Reno let out a false chuckle. "Yes, because I'm so clumsy. There isn’t much to break anyway" he snapped back, motioning to the implanted furniture. 

Siena sighed, nodding in agreement. “Yeah, it doesn’t really feel like a home yet” she paused in thought, her hands went still in the towel. Reno raised an eyebrow at the uncertainty printed across her face. 

She locked eyes with Reno as her head tilted to the side. “What does a home even feel like?”

It were comments and reactions like those that instigated a pitiful feeling from Reno. It seemed every little thing anybody else was accustomed to was a huge revelation to Siena. Even a child from the slums knew more compared to Siena, who grew up in a heavily isolated environment. Reno was taken aback by the abnormal question. He struggled to come up with an answer other than _“a place you eat, sleep, and shit in.”_  
“Oh, uh...I guess a place you feel comfortable in?” he replied, internally cringing at his response. Siena blankly stared at him before letting out a stifled chuckle. 

“That so? Then it’ll feel a lot different from that room of mine” she smiled. She draped the towel over the back of a chair, giving her dried hands a shake.

“Then I guess I should start getting to know this place, so I was thinking...” 

Reno eyed the woman curiously, not quite understanding her hand motions towards the door. She dropped her arm to the side, realizing she’d have to fuss up and use her words.

"Sector 5″ she announced. “I want to go familiarize myself with the area"

Reno gawked at Siena, his lips pursed as he recognized her suggestion. His eyebrows furrowed and he stomped his way over towards Siena.

"You're kidding...are you just going to disregard everything that’s going on--"

“Of course not!” Siena cut him off, waving her hands outwards to stop the approaching Turk. “I just thought I should have already gone to familiarize myself with the locals and the area.”

Reno scowled, shaking his head in disbelief.   
“Oh that sounds real nice, but it’s not the smartest idea to go out with the chance of a target being on your head” he poked his finger between her eyes, causing her to slightly stumble back. 

Siena rubbed the spot with her hand, regaining her balance to stand her ground. As expected, she wasn’t going to get an easy approval for this trip. 

“We don’t know that yet” she argued, slapping his hand away. “It’ll be fine as long as your there, i’m sure!”

“Hmm, funny that you say that, cause last time I listened to your request we got ambushed” he chastised. 

"As long as we take precautions it should be fine! Plus, the perpetrators wouldn't be so bold to take action around so many people, right?" She surmised. 

Siena frowned as her arguments didn’t seem to reach the Turk. Reno crossed his arms over his chest. He looked away to the side, his foot incessantly tapped against the hardwood floor. 

”God, please don’t react like that, you’re making me feel worse” she begged, wincing at his petty reaction.

”As you should” Reno mumbled beneath his breath. He sauntered towards one of the many windows in the house, stopping in front of it to mimic his partners posture from earlier. 

Siena bit her cheek as she glanced between the Turk and the door. It was a foolish and irresponsible request. The last thing she wanted to do was further complicate the situation, which in return would incite Shinra to recover their _dear_ oracle. On the other hand, that curiosity of the outside just gnawed at her mind. She was finally away from HQ, she was finally on a route of independence. If Rude was returning just to take her back she wanted to make use of whatever time she had.

Siena took slow steps towards Reno. She stopped behind him, reaching up to tap his shoulder. 

"I really don't want to be stuck here all day. I think I'd lose my mind waiting for Rude’s response" she began. “What good will waiting here all day do? And don’t act like you’re happy about being stuck here too...”

Reno stood still, but his eyes used the reflection of the glass to take a glance of the room. He couldn’t deny he was already bored of the place; his job entailed moving about and cleaning up trouble, not being restricted to a small and cozy place like this. And there was only so far he could mess around with Siena; knowing her, she’d probably lock herself in her room for the entire day till Rude came back with the news. 

He reluctantly turned back around, locking eyes with Siena. Her eyes were full of pleading words, her clutched hands manifested her hopeful attitude. She even went as far as to stand on her toes to lessen their height difference.

Reno sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as he shook his head.

"Damn...you're making this real hard for me" he grumbled. Siena was one of the few clients Reno ever was in charge of accommodating. He’d watched over other Shinra officials, but none of them had the eccentric personality that Siena held. That was what made her both tolerable and troublesome to deal with.

Siena leaned in, making sure her insistent eyes never wavered from his. Reno pulled back, finding it hard to refute the innocent proposal. His hardened expression nearly faltered as he acknowledged Siena had the upper hand in their mental play this time

 _“Well isn’t this ironic...” he amusingly thought to himself._  
Reno clicked his tongue, bringing his hand up to rub the back of his neck.

"Ah, alright. We'll go for a little bit" he finally huffed.  
The anxiousness on Siena's face instantly withdrew and a zestful smile spread on her lips.

She clapped her hands together, nearly bouncing on her toes.

"Really?! Ah, thank you Reno!" She exclaimed. Siena promptly made her way to the coat rack by the door, pulling off a black hood. She clipped it over her shoulders and pulled the top over her head. She turned to Reno and pointed at her hood.

"Precautions, right?" she chimed, tugging at the fabric. “This should work.” 

Reno rolled his eyes, already regretting his decision to comply. An overly excited Siena meant he would need to keep a closer eye on her to make sure she wouldn’t trip over herself. Even so, he preferred this Siena over her previously gloomy mood--that would’ve made the job a real drab.

"Better than nothing" he mumbled, making his way over to join Siena at the front.

Siena stepped up to the door, though as her hand reached towards the knob she froze. She turned around, her gaze examined Reno as he eyed her questionably. 

"Checking me out?" Reno asked, tugging at his open collar. Siena shook her head, her expression falling slightly troubled.

“Well it's just that you’re so... _Shinra_ ” she motioned towards his luxurious suit. Her eyes also drifted to his rambunctious red hair. Definitely an unforgettable persona in a crowd... 

"Associating myself with you might not leave a good impression on people..." 

Reno snorted, giving himself a quick look over in the mirror. “Maybe that’s best. No one will want to mess with you. They’ll wanna get to know _me._ ”

Siena took a step out the door, closing it after pulling Reno away from his reflection.

“Try not to make a scene, for both you and me. Please? ” she urged, already anticipating a couple quarrels.

Reno made an offended expression, his finger pointed at himself. “You think i’d stir up some trouble?” he gasped.

Siena dropped her hands to her hips, her knowing expression alone answered his question. Reno rolled his eyes, giving Siena a defeated nod.

“Yeah, i’ll keep it down low” he replied. He waited for Siena to lock the door behind her before beginning the course to the slums.

Siena followed closely behind, her chest thumped with anticipation to her first look at ‘normal life.’ It was silly to look forward to a visit to the slums of all places, but for Siena this was a very special occasion. If Shinra got angry with this trip, Siena was fully prepared to take all responsibility. The last thing she wanted to do was get Reno in trouble on her behalf. She looked back just in time to see her cabin disappear behind the shrubbery and soon enough they passed the off-course trail they had descended last night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the long delay, I got caught up in my classes and had to hold off on updating this story. I've set up a schedule for myself now so any chapter updates will be uploaded in a timely manner. Thank you all so much for the comments, kudos, etc. I really appreciate it. Next chapter comes Friday and please stay safe!! <3


	4. || Bustling Slums ||

Siena was fully convinced she was ready to take on the public, but the way her body stiffened and throat ran dry suggested otherwise. The Sector 5 slums was the liveliest place she had ever been to. People rushed from all sides, chattering filled the roads. Store vendors had their carts or tents open and on display for any potential customers. Children ran through the narrow streets, laughing and playing amongst each other. Occasionally Siena would see some outfitted with cardboard weapons, slipping into a tightly knit crevice between two makeshift buildings; the wall was marked with a rough drawing of a spiked creature.

Even being mixed in with the crowd Siena noticed how the eyes of the slum dwellers bore into Reno, their glares full with a mixture of curiosity, fear, and loathe. Siena was sure with the way he was walking around, all dressed up in a luxurious classy suit flaunting his chest, he seemed like an ignorant top-sider. Reno didn't seem to care, even going so far as to send glares 10 times as frightening to the nosy locals.

His boldness wasn’t their leading concern though. It was the Shinra stench that identified him as one of the revered cold-blooded Turks. The Turk division was a fairly enclosed organization, though the mass public of Midgar recognized it’s frightening existence. Midgar was a police state, so it wouldn't be likely for them to not have some highly trained group cutting loose ends and threats. Having that in mind, there was one golden rule: Anyone dawning a fancy suit most likely meant trouble. If Shinra wasn’t sending security officers to clean up a mess, it meant some bigger issues were at play.

Those gazes eventually drifted towards the woman besides him, still being cautious but not as degrading. All they knew was that she was a lost cause under the watchful eyes of a Turk. Siena couldn’t disassociate herself from Reno as he was quick to tug her towards him whenever she over-distanced herself for his liking.

"Stay close" Reno warned, his hand kept a grip on her arm. Siena nodded, watching her distance and surroundings. He’d brought her here reluctantly, so the least she could do was comply with his directions. Even so, it was hard to ignore the onlookers staring holes into the foreign pair.

Reno led Siena to the side of the street where the traffic didn’t reach them. The two paused to watch the crowd pass from beneath a metal canopy, dust occasionally fluttered from its edges as children carelessly traversed atop the rooftops.

"So whaddya think?" Reno questioned, his voice raised to compensate for the bustling slums.

Siena watched the people pass by, her eyes widened and entranced by the lively energy.

"Chaotic..." she breathed, her eyes eagerly drifted themselves upon the wares on full display. The makeshift bags and carts of people were full past capacity, yet the eager hold onto their scroungy wallets suggested they still had some buying to do. Reno chuckled at the speechless woman, amused at her fascination in the lowly slums. 

"Don’t worry, it's not always like this. Essential goods are delivered to the slums once a month” Reno began. “Of course, the time you chose to come is that day. Call this a little flea market if you will."

"So they stock up while they can..." she said, now understanding the excessive capacity of vendors, stocks, and buyers.

If she didn't feel spoiled before she most definitely did now. The term "slum-dweller" was degrading enough, but seeing the negligence of Shinra towards their people made Siena feel ashamed to even be here. She didn't exactly enjoy her life with Shinra but she had to admit she was lucky to be accommodated with high grade necessities. She spared a glance to the Turk beside her, who was giving some rough looking men ogling at Siena a tough glare. 

_“Yeah, most definitely spoiled...”_ she internally mumbled. 

In the center of the slums where all the winding roads lead into, Siena caught glimpse of a large monitor; hazardously strung up on the highest metal structure of the slums. On it was displayed the symbol of her superiors--the SEC logo proudly took up the entire screen.

A tap on her shoulder brought Siena's gaze back to Reno.

“It's the Shinra public service newscaster” he explained, finding it necessary as he took notice of her puzzled expression. “They run news reports and any other important stuff.”

The screen would occasionally flicker, showing it's outdated technology. A faint humming reverberated from the monitor; it was a wonder how it stayed suspended in the air by its flimsy rotting wires. 

“And by news you mean lies and propaganda” Siena huffed, glowering at the symbol. Taking a glance at the locals only further upset her. So many people would gather in front of a screen just to take a bunch of falsehood to truth...falsehoods that Siena herself may have taken part in creating. She was hoping this new home would put her off the Shinra lifestyle, but it seemed to only further indignify her.

Reno nodded, not even bothering to come up with an excuse to justify the corruptness of his company. For every _‘good’_ thing Shinra managed to do, there was always at least a tenfold of negative drawbacks that followed. Reactors brought power to the people but drained the earth around it of life. Security officers brought a sense of oppression in the general public and the company had even stripped the humanity from it’s infamous SOLDIER candidates in exchange for power. As scary as the Turks were, Reno acknowledged he and his colleagues were just one fraction of the evil giant. He shook the thoughts away, taking his gaze off the monitor.

“C’mon. Lets continue from the sidelines here.” 

The two moved alongside the crowd, finding it easier to navigate through the side of the road. The coaxing calls of vendors erupting from their immediate side flowed straight into their ears, but it was tolerable compared to being swept up by the mass. It also made the possibility of being pick pocketed less likely; Reno had a better view of their vicinity from the less congested side.

“Don't be shy! Come on up and check my wares! ”

“Ain't nothing gonna do the trick in this world like my materia! I've got the best around! ”

"Have you gotten your produces yet?"

Siena’s eyes were glued to every vendor they passed, her distracted self failed to notice Reno suddenly halt in front of her. She bumped into his back, managing a curt apology before Reno turned around to nudge her away from the crowd. A vexed expression was etched on his face as he scowled at the inconsiderate passerby's bumping into them. 

“Traffic jam. Lets just go around.” The two continued but as they approached, an elderly vendor looking for potential customers caught sight of the pair. 

"Excuse me miss!" he called out, waving his hand towards Siena. Reno scoffed at the desperate efforts of the man, placing his hand atop Siena’s head to redirect her view away.

“Just ignore ‘em, they’ll do anything to pull your cash--” 

The red-head was interrupted as a chocobo wagon brushed through the crowd, the over-sized birds wing shoved the pair forward. Siena lost her footing, though Reno was quick to secure his arm around her waist to save her from a fall. The chocobo let out _“kweh!”_ as it stumbled through the crowd on behalf of its coachman.

Reno turned around to watch the wagon advance, mumbling a “stupid bird” beneath his breath.

"Assholes...you good Si--” Reno looked down, though his words became trapped in his throat as his nose brushed up against hers. He felt the mounds of her chest pushed up against his and her hand gripped onto the leather of his shoulder for support; it was taking every bit of Reno’s willpower to not look down at the tempting sight that was sure to greet him. 

Siena blinked, disoriented by the stumble for a moment longer before she noticed their cliche position. The heat from that accursed night began tinting her cheeks yet again and her gaze desperately averted his.

“Uh, yeah, I-I’m okay...” she managed, her voice wavered as she felt his grip tighten around her ever so slightly. _“Not this again...”_  


_“The hell is this, some sappy romance comedy?”_ Reno mentally commented, unable to bring himself to let go quite yet. He felt the eyes of the locals scrutinize their position, rolling their eyes at the top-sider ‘couple.’  


_“And why’d it have to be in this shit hole of all places?”_   


A voice calling out ”A lovely couple!” broke them from their reveries, their heads simultaneously turned to it’s direction. It was the elderly vendor from moments prior, who was now sending them an amiable smile. The two instantly pulled away from each other, brushing themselves off and clearing their throats as if nothing had just happened.

"I can tell your a woman of refined taste! A rare sight in the slums indeed,” the vendor pitched, “which is why I want to present you with this here."

Siena normally would’ve turned a blind eye to the vendor, but after their little stumble she was just desperate for a distraction to calm down. Reno himself seemed to require a moment as well, as he didn’t protest when Siena stepped up to the vendors tent.

The vendor held up a bracelet, a blue jewel was situated between a thick metal chain. The sharp edges of the metal encircling the jewel defined it as a handmade but still alluring piece of jewelry. Siena’s attention peaked at the sight of the bracelet, her false detachment now turning into genuine interest.

"T-That's beautiful" she breathed, her voice still stumbled over itself. The man let out an amused chuckled, nodding excitedly.

"It is, ain't it?! Please, take a look at these right here too!”

Reno rolled his eyes, watching Siena fall into the material charm every woman seemed to have. As she glowered upon the jewelry, Reno turned around. He crossed his arms over his chest, opting to watch the crowd swarm by as his own distraction from her warmth. 

This was a new sight to Siena, though it was one Reno hadn’t seen in a while. It was hard to think that years ago he was one of the many slum-dwellers before him, doing whatever roguery necessary to make it by.

Now he was outfitted in the finest texture in the name of Shinra, the ones who created this unhealthy ecosystem in the first place. He spared the newscaster a glance; the symbol was only one of many reminders of the man he now was. 

He let out a reminiscent sigh, paying the enticed exclamations of Siena behind him no mind. And now here he was, keeping an eye on an ‘essential’ for the companies sake. An essential he seemed to be getting a _little_ too attached to. Reno chuckled to himself, concluding it was just his usual playboy antics getting him riled up. Maybe he’d stop by the honeybee inn after this whole mess was over and confirm to himself it was nothing serious; it _had_ been a while since he let off some steam. 

He brushed the sleeve of his arm; that big ass bird had left some dust on his suit. Reno’s guard wasn’t down for too long though, as he caught sight of a suspicious scene in the corner of his eye.

In the distance a group of three people rounded the corner of an alleyway, the dull colored cloaks triggered an alarm within Reno. Two males and a female, he noted, made their way through the crowd. Reno shuffled behind one of the wooden pillars holding up the vendors shabby shop, successfully hiding himself from their eyesight. They passed his and Siena’s position, following the road past the Chocobo post. Cautiously one of them entered a rundown shed in the corner of the slums’ exit. The other two stationed themselves outside of the entrance, flipping the sign on the door from _“open!”_ to _"closed!"_

Reno patted the baton latched onto his belt for reassurance and the deep voice of his partner resounded within his head.

_“Anything happens, you report it as soon as possible. You know HQ gets real anxious when it comes to Siena.”_  
Reno clicked his tongue. He’d definitely just detected something worth reporting but the fact that he’d disobeyed the stay at home orders didn’t bode well for not only Siena but himself as well. If he was in charge of watching over something--no--someone so special to Shinra, that only meant Tseng would be prepared with an even heftier punishment for Reno should he deviate from his specific orders. 

He turned around, mouth propped open to inform Siena of the danger only to see the oracle looking at the scene herself. His eyes momentarily widened, clearly surprised by the woman's attentiveness. Though her cheeks were still a little pink, Reno understood the severity of her Shinra situation overwhelmed her flustered state of mind.

"What do you think?" She said, her voice just above a whisper. Reno pushed away his surprise, looking back to see the two targets chatting.

"Its too early to jump to conclusions” he replied. “Don't forget we're in the slums. A lot of shady shit goes down here."

Reno took a step towards the jeweler, then piking his thumb towards the shed.  
"Those guys. They new around here?"

The vendor raised a keen eyebrow, looking over his tent to glance towards the pair. He turned back and almost instantly the smile that graced his lips vanished. He leaned forward, locking eyes with Reno.

“You want info just as much as I want some business” he held out the metal bracelet, jingling it in front of them. His eyes took a very obvious look over of Reno’s getup. “I’m sure you’ve got a pocket deep enough for this.”

Reno’s eyebrow twitched; he knew this old mans friendliness was too good to be true for a slum vendor. 

“I don’t think haggling with me is a smart idea gramps” Reno cautioned, his expression darkened with the clear threat. 

The man shrugged, making a zipping motion over his lips. Siena’s gaze switched between the greedy man and Reno, who was gritting his teeth at the vendors attitude. 

Siena frowned as she looked around at the other vendors and locals. It was her first time in the slums but she was already learning the lessons of life on the ground floor; these people would jump at any opportunity to charge gil, especially when it came to ‘tourists’ like her and Reno. Siena took a deep breath, stepping in between Reno and the vendor. 

“Ok, we’ll get it!” Siena exclaimed, her surrender received a disgruntled look from Reno. The vendor grew a small smile, holding out his palm prepped for his payment. Siena looked at Reno expectantly, who merely grumbled as he pulled out some gil to place in the vendors hand. The vendor took a moment to count the gil, nodding once he’d confirm the value before giving the bracelet to Siena. The vendor cleared his throat.

"They actually are new. Just showed up a little over a week ago. If I recall they had a couple others in their group." He explained, laying out more of his stocks on the table.

Siena and Reno gave each other a knowing glance. They were onto something and it seemed Reno would have to make that report after all. 

"What type of establishment is that?" Siena asked, referring to the business signs tied to the door. 

The man eyed Siena, as if questioning whether he should make another barter. He went easy on her, deciding against it. He shrugged, beginning to polish a necklace in his hands. 

"It was a small winery, though it was abandoned by the storekeepers after some monsters broke in there. They've been taken care of, but the owners are reluctant to return. Even the kids don’t go there."

The man paused, chuckling to himself. "Not anymore it seems."

The presence of another customer pulled the storekeeper away from the pair, leaving them unattended. Reno motioned towards a secluded alleyway by the tent, leading a retreat from the public view. Siena slipped the bracelet through her wrist, pleased with both the new accessory and information. 

"So what are we gonna do?" Siena asked, her tone serious and tight.

Reno cocked his head to the side, his hand motioned between himself and Siena.

"We? Sorry sweetheart but I don’t think so" he began to pull out his PHS from his pocket, the screen was bright within the dimly lit alley. “You got your visit _and_ a nice little bracelet. I’d say that’s enough for today.”

Siena’s brows furrowed, the mere suggestion of being locking up again fueled her with enough anger to rant for days. 

"So you're just expecting me to sit still and silent over this” she scoffed, eyebrows furrowed as she glared at Reno sullenly. 

Reno nodded, making sure to make note of the subjects presence every now and then.

"Yes, as a matter of fact I _do_ ” he chided. “It's my job to keep you safe and yours to listen to me. To do that, I gotta deal with these guys" 

His fingers began to dial the number that would cut their little trip short but Siena was quick to push the PHS down with her hands. Reno rolled his eyes, preparing himself for Siena’s desperate rebuttal.

"Considering the tight area we're in, calling officers to come retrieve me would give me away. That means _you'd_ have to take me home yourself" she began, emphasizing by poking him in the center of his exposed chest. He brushed the area with his hand, catching onto the fact that his own cheeky habits were beginning to grow onto Siena.

Reno raised a skeptical eyebrow, her silence only made her uncoordinated argument more faulty.

"And...?"

"And that would leave them out of your sight. They could be gone without a trace by the time you get back" she surmised, not removing her hands from his PHS.

Reno snorted at her efforts, tapping the screen before it’s display turned off.

"Trust me. I know how to track down people. It's my job, always has been" he snapped, pulling her hand away from the phone. Siena retracted her hands to her chest, looking back to see the pair chuckling together. They may not have seemed suspicious in the slightest, but something within Siena told her this lead was crucial to exacting her stay. 

_“One step ahead of Shinra is all we need”_ Siena thought to herself. Her head whipped back to look at Reno, surprised to see he seemed to be hesitating on marking the call himself. She took a step forward, dropping her apprehensive expression from her face.

"I don’t mean to cause you trouble, really! It’s just that...” she paused, clenching her fists as the ambiance of the slums continued to ring outside of the alley. 

"We haven’t heard back from Shinra, but it's safe to assume they won't be pleased with the idea of my safety being jeopardized. I want to cut this off before it becomes a bigger deal. Before...they decided to take me back there.”

Reno examined Siena for a moment, not bothering to look down at the dimming screen of his PHS. 

“Don’t you think taking matters into your own hands would piss Shinra off even more?” He asked, strumming his fingers across his baton. Siena took a deep breath, shaking her head.

“Proving that I’m capable of doing just that is a gamble i’m willing to take to keep my place here” she declared. Reno pursed his lips, letting out a stifled chuckle the more he looked at her hardened expression. 

Siena was always a goody princess, obeying the Shinra superiors with little resistance. If there was one thing Reno for sure admired about her, it was her ability to put up with being thrown around like some object under the title of “oracle,” as if that made her shitty treatment valid. 

This sudden shift into a more free-spirited version of herself had Reno questioning whether the whole thing was an act she planned out to get this far. Maybe she saw this situation long before it came along using that power of hers. He for sure could say her fascination of every little thing out here was genuine. Another factor to her recent behavior popped up in his mind and he couldn’t help but swell up with pride.

Shinra sure fucked up pairing her up with the bad influence that Reno was.

The frown on Reno’s lips curved up into an intrigued smirk, he muttered an “unbelievable” before shoving the PHS back into his pocket.

Reno lowered his head to her level, holding out his finger directly in front of her face.

"Alright, here's the deal princess. You can tag along with this investigation so long as you keep yourself out of trouble. Don't go picking fights or give up information. Got it?" 

Siena’s eyes widened at his response and she wasted no time in eagerly nodding. 

“I won’t cause trouble!” she blurted, “but that doesn't mean I can’t help you know.”

Reno rolled his eyes, turning to leave the alley as he dismissively waved his hand. 

“I appreciate the offer but I don’t think you’ll have anything good to offer anytime soon” he sneered, grinning to himself as he heard Siena let out an irked groan.

They reemerged into the main street and Siena was relieved to see their leads hadn’t moved an inch. 

“Follow me, we’ll move in closer to listen in on them” Reno said. Siena nodded, following closely behind as they cautiously cut through the crowd towards a major lead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This came out two days late but setting these time frame's helps me pace myself lol. Thank you all for your support, i'm having an absolute blast writing this and i'm so happy to see you all enjoying this too! Next chapter comes later this week, till next time and stay safe! ^^


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